Surrender

"There are some who ask: “I have surrendered everything to God.

Why then, am I subjected to so many trials and tribulations?"

One who has truly surrendered to God will not raise such questions.

To say that "After I have surrendered I am put to suffering" itself

shows that the surrender is not real,

because where is the place for "I" after surrendering everything?

To the person who has completely surrendered,

everything that he experiences {good or bad) is a gift from God."

~ Baba ~

(Divine Discourse 23.11.87)

Smile

The definition of Giving in Buddhism is the widest you can ever dream of.

Even a simple sincere smile at a stranger is a gift of Loving-kindness.

The next time you catch a stranger in the eye, don't look away abruptly or glare on lifelessly.

Generate a thought of well-being for him or her and smile!

What a simple yet effective way of creating positive karmic connections!

(The Daily Enlightenment)

Celestial Poems of Sathya Sai Baba

A Meritorious Achievement

"It is not necessary to retire to the forest to get rid of anger and hatred.

Virtue cannot be practised in a vacuum.

If you live in an atmosphere of anger and are able to control it,

then it is a meritorious achievement.

But if you live in a forest where there is no room for anger

and say that you have controlled your anger,

it is not meaningful.

You must therefore remain in the worldly surroundings

where there is ample scope for the rising up of emotions

of anger and hatred and then learn to control them.

That will be a meritorious achievement."

~ Baba ~

(Sadhana - The Inward Path)

Celestial Poems of Sathya Sai Baba

85th Birthday Splendour

JAI SAI RAM

(Pictures by courtesy of www.srisathyasai.org.in/)

Happy Birthday, Swami

"When you do not love man, your heart will not love God.

Despising brother men, you cannot at the same time, worship God;

if you do, God will not accept that hypocrisy.

God is resident in every heart;

so, if you serve anyone, that service reaches the God within him.

It brings to you the grace of God."

~ Baba ~

A True Present for Swami's Birthday

There was once a devotee who wanted to give Swami

an offering for His birthday a few years ago.

Usually Swami is kind and accepts with grace the offerings of a true devotee.

For this time, contrary to the Indian custom, Swami refused to take his offering,

so the devotee pleaded with Swami saying "Swami, the Gita itself permits the offering of leaves, flowers, fruits and holy water to the Master." He looked pleadingly towards Swami hoping that He would change His mind and accept his offering.

Swami looked kindly at the despondent devotee and said:

"Consider your body as a dried up leaf.

It is the real leaf offering.

Let your heart blossom in love.

That is the flower offering I like.

Renounce the fruit of your actions to Me.

That is the fruit offering I favour.

The tears of joy that well up in your eyes

in the upsurge of devotion

is the water offering I want.

This body has been brought forth for giving, not receiving."

How fortunate this devotee was to receive such a spiritual gift from the One

whom he wanted to gratify with a worldly offering!

Enlightened by this lesson, let us offer our divine Master the sacrifice of ourselves

and His heart will be filled with joy, our souls will live in great felicity and

everyone we meet will benefit from our devotion.

~ Myriam Jozsa ~

(Quebec)

19th November - A Special Day for Ladies

"There is nothing greater than mother’s love.

Mother’s words are always sweet.

At times she may use harsh words,

but they are meant only to correct you, not to hurt you.

There may be a wicked son,

but there can never be a wicked mother in this world.

Ladies Day is celebrated only to make you understand

the value of mother’s love and her concern for you."

~ Baba ~

(Divine Discourse 19.11.99)

Dear Lord, What Can We Offer You?

Dear Lord,

What can we offer You?

You have given us 85 glorious years of your earthly life,

85 years of pure love and divine wisdom.

You have seen us through joy and pain,

You have protected and shielded us time and again.

How fortunate we are to be living

In the presence of a loving God!

I need no worldly gift, You say,

Just install Me in your heart

And let it blossom in love,

That’s all I ask.

Dear Lord, is there anything more to say?

We bow at Your Lotus Feet and humbly pray

that Your wish we shall fulfil this very day!

~ Divine Blossoms ~

Develop Brotherhood with All

"I desire one thing from you.

Develop brotherhood with all.

Adopt right conduct always.

Give up selfish activity.

Welcome all chances to serve the illiterate and the poor."

~ Baba ~

(Divine Discourse 23.11.85)

I Am Always Happy

"As I was coming here, some people greeted Me with the words:

“Happy birthday! Happy birthday!"

I am always happy. I need no "Happy" greetings.

Convey your greetings of "Happy birthday" to those who are not happy.

I am filled with infinite joy. I have never had any worry at

any time or place. What is the reason?

All things are transient like passing clouds. Why worry about them?

We should not be elated or depressed by births or deaths.

We came naked into the world.

When we leave, we cannot leave our address with "our" kith and kin.

How can they be "our kinsfolk?"

All these are worldly phenomena. As long as we live, we should spend our lives

in harmony and fellow-feeling.

All our difficulties can be overcome by contemplation on God.

Forgetting God and immersing yourself in worldly concerns,

what do you achieve? Have firm faith in God.

Don't give room for differences of caste, creed and nationality.

All names and forms belong to the Divine.

All that you see is a manifestation of the Cosmic Form of the Lord.

With firm faith in the Divine, chanting the Lord's name, redeem your lives."

~ Baba ~

(Divine Discourse at Hill View Stadium on 23-11-90)

Pray for the Welfare of All

"Embodiments of love!

There is only one thing you have to offer to Me today.

Pray that people in all countries, may the entire humanity,

should be happy and at peace.

Then alone there will be real unity.

Do not wish merely for the peace and prosperity of India alone.

Pray for the welfare of all countries.

All are our brothers, whether they are in Pakistan or America or elsewhere."

~ Baba ~

(Divine Discourse 23.11.93)

Dear Devotee ...

"Dear Devotee,

Install the Lord in your heart and offer Him
the fruits of your actions and the flowers

of your inner thoughts and feelings.

That is the worship I like most,

the devotion I appreciate most."

~ Baba ~

Akhanda Bhajan

"Today we are having the Akhanda Bhajan. This is being done not for the sake of one individual, one nation or one community. It is for the welfare of humanity as a whole.

The bhajans that are sung permeate the ether in the form of sound waves and fill the entire atmosphere. Thereby, the whole environment is purified. Breathing in this purified atmosphere, our hearts get purified. Reciting the Lord's name is a process of give and take. Singing the Lord's name should become an exercise in mutual sharing of joy and holiness. It should be remembered that the sounds we produce reverberate in the atmosphere. They remain permanently in the ether as waves and outlast the individual uttering the sounds."

~ Baba ~

(Divine Discourse 8.11.86)

My Love For You

"My affection, My love towards each one of you is that of a thousand mothers.

Do not deny yourself that affecton, that love, by denying Me your love."

~ Baba ~

Birthday Gems (9) - The Lord of Puttaparthi

"The Lord of Puttaparthi

Protects you always; the Ever Merciful

Holds your hand in help,

Never leaves you abandoned."

~ Baba ~

Birthday Gems (8) - You Cannot See Me

"You cannot see Me but I am the light you see by;

You cannot hear Me but I am the sound you hear by;

You cannot know Me but I am the truth you live by."

~ Baba ~

Birthday Gems (7) - You are Very Fortunate

"This is the human form in which every divine entity,

every divine principle, that is to say,

all the names and forms ascribed by man to God are manifest.

You are very fortunate that you have a chance

to experience the bliss of the vision

of the Sarva Devata Swaroopa,

now in this very life."

~ Baba ~

Birthday Gems (6) - Why Avatars Come

"At first, name and form are essential,

that is the reason why Avatars come,

so that God can be loved, adored, worshipped,

listened to and followed,

and finally realised as nameless and formless."

~ Baba ~

Birthday Gems (5) - Chanting the Lord's Name

"Chanting of the Lord's name is the only way

to liberation in the Kali Age.

God's name only will redeem us.

Any mighty task can be achieved

by chanting the divine name."

~ Baba ~

Birthday Gems (4) - God is not Distant

"God is neither distant nor distinct from you."

~ Baba ~

Birthday Gems (3) - Past is Past

"Past is past, it cannot be recalled;

Future, you are not sure of....

The given moment is now (Present),

This Present is Omnipresent.:

~ Baba ~

Birthday Gems (2) - I am the Atma

"I am the Atma that dwells in all living beings. I am the beginning, the middle and the end of all things. All that you see in the cosmos the moving and the stationary objects is a manifestation of the Atma."

~ Baba ~

Birthday Gems (1) - You are Mine

"Whoever you are, you are Mine

I will not give you up

Wherever you are, you are near Me

You cannot go beyond My reach."

~ Baba ~

("Birthday Gems" quotes fromTapovanam - Sri Sathya Sai Sathcharithra)

Celestial Poems of Sathya Sai Baba

Love In Action

Happy Deepavali

Today is the day on which Naraka, the demon was killed. What does this event signify? It signifies killing the demon in man. 'Nara' means man and 'Asura' means demon. This demon is present in every human being. It is not necessary to acquire great weapons to kill this demon. Man is called 'Nara' because there is Atma (spirit) in him. That Atma is the embodiment of love. It is possible to kill the demons only through love. Therefore, realize the Atma Tathva and develop love. This is true Bhakti (devotion)”.

~ Baba ~

(Divine Discourse: November 4, 2002)

Install God in your Heart

"When you have God installed in your heart, who can lead you to destruction?

"My affection, my love towards each one of you is that of a thousand mothers."

When you discover you are God, there is no Arpana, no Atmarpitham.

Wisdom wipes out all, only God remains."

~ Baba ~

(Sadhana - The Inward Path)

The Priest and the Goat

In the film "Little Buddha", there is the opening scene where a monk tells the story of a priest who sacrificed goats for offerings. One day, he encountered a goat that laughed. The priest asked him in shock, "Why are you laughing? You are going to be killed!" The goat replied that he had been a goat for five hundred lives, and that in his next birth, he will be human again.

Then the goat cried. And the priest asked, "Why are you in tears?" The goat replied, "Five hundred lives ago, I was a priest like you, killing goats for offerings!"

Of course, karma does not always operate so simplistically. Whenever there is suffering in our lives, we should be happy that we are clearing our "previous karmic debts". We should be grateful and joyful, rather than sad and grumpy. It is much better to clear our negative karma as humans than as beings in the lower realms - as we get to accept the effects of our karma graciously and mindfully. This is important because it can lead us to better comprehend the law of karma, and to transcend it ultimately in liberation.

~ YongKJ ~

(The Daily Enlightenment)

Celestial Poems of Sathya Sai Baba

Move in the Footsteps of God

"The age 16-30 is a crucial stage, when man achieves best and struggles hard to achieve. Once frittered, these years of life can never be regained. Take no devious path but move in the footsteps of God and the Godly during this period of your life."

~ Baba ~

(Sadhana - The Inward Path)

The Fruit of Envy

"A lion saw its image in the limpid lake; it grew envious of another lion, as strong, as young, as fierce as itself. It assayed to destroy it, by jumping on it and tearing it to pieces. It was drowned in the process; that is the fruit of envy.

Others, who are our own images, arouse envy and lead to disaster. Bhakthi or the attitude of devotion and dedication makes you humble and kill envy; Jnana or the awareness of your being an integral part of God who is all this makes you kind with all and there is no place for distinction, which breeds envy."

~ Baba ~

(The Voice of the Avatar)